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Ouray and Musashi looked at each other over the console. The silence was solid, a curtain separating them form the rest of the world. They both knew what had to be done, what had to be said, and that above all they had to carry on.

The Prince had organized them, in the beginning, and he was ever their guiding force. All the technology here was a gift from him, and he daily experimented to try and find new ways to end the war as quickly as possible. The neurotoxins they used on the Harvest were another of his creations, and of course, he had been training Irian…

Musashi looked away. “There’s the Prince’s last message…”

“That there is.”

“Should we read it?”

Both men knew they should, but neither man wanted to. In the end, they did together, seated at a table in the corner of the ready room. Ouray tapped the icon on the screen containing the Prince’s last communique.

“If you’re reading this, I have fallen in battle. It was the eventual end to my path, and I never have shied away from it. May the Eternal God who made us all have mercy on those who are left.

You all knew me as the architect of Sanctuary, the leader of Home, and the leader of our forces against the Harvest. What I am about to reveal to you will most likely upset you, but listen to my words-they are here to guide you to a place I cannot.

We all think of the Harvest as a faceless, nameless menace that twists our planet to their whims, trying to take it over for themselves. Only part of that is correct. While they do want this planet for themselves, I will tell you the secret that each Harvest harbors in his soul, and has to sleep with each night.

The Harvest is human, and I am one of them.

We come from a time well into your future, where humanity took a much different path than the one you travel now-that already gives me hope that the future is not set in stone. The Harvest is here because they destroyed their planet-rampant experimentation made the planet grow so deadly they could not survive there. Not pollution, though-the very earth itself struck back, and loosed upon us its fury in nature. Plants engulfed cities, wild beasts ate who they would, the skies and seas became killing floors. The decision was made to travel back, to subjugate the Earth, and there to try to avoid the mistakes that had destroyed us. But, of course, Earth was inhabited. And its inhabitants fought back. Not only that, we fought amongst ourselves. Some, like I, simply believed that we had wasted our chance, and that while we were going to die, it was a just death, and we would face oblivion as best we could. Others, obviously, sided with the idea to forcibly take the earth from our predecessors. Therefore, the great Harvest war began. Just as before, they fought with the weapons they knew best-high science, the changing of beasts and the highly poisonous aether. But, unlike before, humans began to assimilate the aether, to develop the ability to fight back-they gained the ability to keep possession of their world. At that point, I created Sanctuary, to raise promising children to use their gifts, and others of my time did the same, granting the Earth a stay of execution.

The children on the battlefield are our best, brightest hope. Protect them, my friends, as I tried to do. Even now, their forces wane. We were never very populous, and many have died in the fight. Press on! In the end you will be victorious, if you keep hope. And I say to you that there is hope, for there are others out there who will join your fight. For now, care for the children, and watch them-for if they fail, it means the end of us all.”

Both men stared at the communique. Ever one close with his word, the Prince had never let anyone know, and only after could they put the pieces of the puzzle together. Irian, Namid, Thor, Elanor-even Hariel, though they knew it not-they had to be found. They knew where Thor was, at least.

“I need a healer team to the battlefield, one injured. Spare no expense, spare no speed, and go, for your fathers’ sakes!”

Musashi got up, pushed in his chair, and said, “Ouray, would you like some tea?”